TONY BLAIR will counter growing public hostility to a war against Iraq by bringing forward the release of evidence about the threat posed by Saddam Hussein.

The Prime Minister yesterday promised that he would publish a long-awaited dossier detailing the Iraqi regime's continuing efforts to build weapons of mass destruction "within the next few weeks".

Mr Blair gave a clear signal the UK would stand with the United States in bringing Baghdad to account.

Appearing at one of his regular press conferences in Sedgefield, the Prime Minister also took a swipe at the increasingly outspoken critics of war against Iraq, including Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Wales, and Archbishop of Canterbury elect.

Mr Blair had found both "bizarre" and "astonishing" comments calling into question opposition to Baghdad. He said the US was right to demand the re-admission of weapons inspectors. Much of such criticism was "just straightforward anti-Americanism".

He added, "If September 11 teaches us anything, it teaches us the importance of not waiting for the threat to materialise, but when we can see the signs of that threat in front of us, dealing with it."